Conveyer for heat treating furnaces



M y 1933. G. c. M CORMICK 1,911,457

CQNVEYER FOR HEAT TREATING FURNACES Filed Sept. 10, 1950 22 INVENTOR 460/ e foxwz/ y BY ATTORNEYS l atented May 30,

enoaeni c; .mcconmrcx, onv nEnDHAM. mssAcnnsncns, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ALLOYS. COMPANY, OF nosron, mssaonnsn'r'i s. AconPonA'rron OFjMASSAGHU- SETTS CONVEYER FOR HEAT iJR A TL IiGrUBnACEs Application filed September 10. 9am; Serial no. 4,810,857.:

My invention relates to a means for conveying metallic members such as sheets,bars, rods and the like through a furnace for heat treatment.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved conveying means of the roller type which is adapted to convey metal sheets, bars and the like through a furnace in substantially the1r normal flat condltlon,

3 the ends of said sheets or bars passing from roll to roll without getting down between said rolls when they sag. V

Another object is to provide a supporting means beneath the rolls within the furnace to prevent said rolls from sagging at their centers when subjected to high temperatures. Another object is to provide rolls with re placeable discs, any one of which maybe replaced if worn or damaged. 1

Another object is to prvide an arrangement by which the discs can be strung on the shafts (in the sense that beads are on in spaced relation.

strung) and the discs be so related to the shafts as to turn therewith when the shafts in elevation.

By my invention I provide a plurality of tubular shafts having discs mounted there- The said discs are so spaced on each shaft so as to stagger the discs on adjacent shafts, thereby making 1' it impossible for a member passing over same to get between the rollers. Antifriction rollers, mounted in brackets beneath the discs engage one or more of the center discs on two adjacent shafts and support same within the furnace, thereby assuring "alignment, of the shafts and preventing them-from sagging when hot.'. I The rollers arev designated generally by the reference f character IOand comprise preferably tubularshafts 12, the endsfof which pass-throughsuitable clearance openings' 14 in the walls of a furnace 16 and are supportedin end bearings 18 outside'of the furnace. V

*Each shaft 12 has end portions .19 and an enlarged centrally disposed portion 20 with with keywa'ys 22 formed therein. The depth of keyways is. substantially equal to the enlargement of shaft parts 20 over shaft parts 19 so that the bottom'or seat of the keyways form substantially a continuation of thesurface walls of shaft portions 19. J

' A plurality of discs 24' are mounted on the enlarged portion20 of the shafts 12jeach disc comprising a webbed body structure 26 having an outer rim 28, a c'entral opening 30 "and 'keys 32' preferably cast integrally therewith and adapted to engage the keyways"22 in thesaidfenlarged porti0n'20.

""To assemble thefdis'cs 24,fac'ollarj 34 is first placed over the enlarged p0rtio'n'20. of shaft l2 and pinnedto" the-shaftiby means of alpin 36,"then several discs 24 with sleeves 38jtl1erebetween' areaslipped over thefisaid enlarged'portion. Af ter' the desired amount of discs have been mounted, another collar 34L is. placed over the enlarged portion 20 of shaft 12 andka'gainst'the last disc, and is then pinned to the shaft by means of pin 36?. The discs are therefore held rigidly in place. 1

'On e-ach adj acent'roller assembly the discs 34 a'remount'edin 'staggered relation, so that discs on alternate shafts catedf n F g. a I H The: clearance openings- 14 in the furnace intermesh as "indiwalls are preferably made large enough to permit the enlarged portion 20 of the shaft 12 to .passthrough when. assembling the discs or whenflrepla'cement is tobe made. To prevent the hot furnace gases from escaping a suitable packing 40' of heat resistingmateriali's preferably inserted in the said openings 14 i I lnaconveyers of the rollertype there-is a discs on two adjacent Figs. 1 and 2.

Any suitable driving means may beemployed, such as gearing 48 or any other means which will impart uniform rotation to each of the rollers Having described my invention I claim:

1. A conveyer adapted for use in a heat treating furnace comprising a plurality of shafts journaled at the ends thereof outside of the furnace and having spaced discs thereon, the discs of one shaft being staggored relative to and overlapping the discs of the adjacent shaft, and an idling roller mounted within the furnace below and intermediate of the shafts and adapted to engage certain of the discs of both of the adjacent shafts to prevent the sagging thereof.

2. A conveyer adapted for use in a heat treating furnace comprising aplurality of shafts journaled at the ends thereof and having series of discs thereon, the discs of one shaft being staggered relative to the discs of the adjacent shaft, and an idling roller journaled within said furnace below and intermediate of said shafts centrally thereof and adapted to engage the center discs'of, both of the adjacent shaft-s to prevent the sagging thereof.

3..Aconveyer adapted for use in a heat treating furnace comprising a plurality of journaled shafts having spaceddiscs thereon, the discs of one shaft being staggered relative to and overlapping the discs of an adjacentsha-ft, and an idling roller support ed below said shafts and engaging the center discs of both of the contiguous shafts to prevent the sagging thereof.

4. A conveyer adapted for use in a heat treating furnace comprising outer and intermediaterotatable shafts having spaced discs thereon, the discs of the intermediate shaft being staggered relative to and overlapping the discs of the outer shafts, and idling rollers supported below and engaging overlapping discs'of the several shafts contiguous1 to the points of intersection of the perip ieries of the discs to revent sa in of the shafts. p gg g A conveyer adapted for use in a heat treating furnace, a tubular shaft including a relatively enlarged central portion having longitudinally extending keyways therein 'eiztending from end to end of said enlarged name hereto.

" GEORGE C. MoCORMIOK. 

